False eyelash curling kit



United States Patent [72] Inventor 3,333,593 8/1967 MeGivern..,........,........ 3,421,523 1/1969 Owens et a1. Primary Examiner-Louis G Mancene Assistant ExaminerGregory E. McNeill Attorney-Pastoriza & Kelly Laura Aurora Thompson West Los Angeles, California Appl. No. 748,854

July 30, 1968 Patented Dec. 1,1970 Assignee Walter John DeFranco Lakewood, California a percent interest 221 Filed 1 ABSTRACT: A false eyelash curling device includes a tubular shaped guideway formed with a window or access opening and a holding element that is rotatably coupled within the guideway. The holding element define plural longitudinally extending slits for retaining false eyelashes. When eyelashes have been tucked into the slits the holding'element may be rotated to transfer the eyelashes between opposing shaping surfaces formed respectively by the guideway and holding element. The shaping surfaces exert sufficient pressure on the eyelashes to curl them and as they are becoming dried After the eyelashes are curled they may be easily rotated to a position aligned with the window where the person may gain access to them and withdraw them from the slits.

98 1 mm m 3. 96 3 SHM l 4& A mum? m m "3 S n m m Mm K m m m R G u P" m m m3 m S 0.. %E n h. m m3 Ta F 2 mAfi g "3 .m W1 m w um Rm u. 0 u ma M m U E mmS 1 sh CCU LC .M Az k 3 F1 U..mF M l 1]] l M 4 2 0 6 2 5 555 5 fl [[l fl 3 Patented Dec. 1 1970 #vvmroek LAURA AURORA THOMPSON BY A77 RNEYS FALSE EYELASH CURLING KIT The present invention relates to false eyelashes and more specifically to a false eyelash curling device that can be easily and rapidly operated.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The customary technique for curling artificial or false eyelashes requires the person to first wet the eyelashes and then roll them between layers of tissue or paper wound around a mandrel such as a pencil. After the eyelashes have been sufficiently wetted with soap and water, for example, the eyelashes become excessively handled since they are delicate and must be accurately placed and packaged between the tissue layers. After a sufficient drying period has elapsed and the person wants to attach them to her eyelids it is frequently frustrating to discover, upon unraveling the eyelashes from their drying positions, that the lashes are kinked and randomly alined and the desired contouring or curling is imperfect and unsightly.

In general this technique is cumbersome and unpleasant and the results are unsatisfactory. One reason for the untidy result is that when moistened the paper or tissue tends to tear and thereby disrupts the intended contour shape. Also since the lashes, although packaged, are essentially unprotected when wrapped between paper or tissue layers they may become exposed to damaging when an infant or inadvertent adult for example crushes the wrapped arrangement.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly stated the present invention comprehends a compact, easily operated false eyelash curling device incorporating a substantially tubular shaped guideway defining an elongated window and a first shaping surface. Arranged within the guideway is a cylindrically shaped holding element defining at least one retaining slit for retaining the foundation strip of a false eyelash and a second shaping surface that is complimentary contoured relative to the guideway shaping surface. A knob fixed to one end of the holding element may be finger operated to rotate the holding element within the guideway. When the retaining slits are alined in registering relationship with the window the eyelashes can be easily tucked into the slits after which timethe knob is used to rotate the eyelashes to a location between the v shaping surfaces where the eyelashes lay in curled condition. When the eyelashes become sufficiently curled and a person wants to gain access to them, she grasps the knob and rotates the holding element in the same direction in which it was initially rotated,

A support for mounting the guideway may be connected to an inside section of a box having top and bottom parts hinged together. The support may be fixed to the top part while the bottom part is divided into plural compartments for containing false eyelash accessories.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The numerous benefits and unique aspects of the present invention will be fully understood when the following detailed description is studied in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a false eyelash curling kit showing the holding element rotatably mounted within the guideway; 7

FIG. 2 is a perspective sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing a false eyelash tucked in a retaining slit;

FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view showing the eyelash held between two shaping surfaces as it is being dried and prepared for use; and,

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view showing the eyelash rotated to a position where the person may withdraw the eyelash from the slit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIG. 1 a false eyelash curling kit is shown that includes a box 11 having a top 12 and bottom 13 joined together by hinges 14 so that top 12 may be easily opened and closed. Bottom section 13 is divided into a plurality of compartments some of which may be used for containing a spare set of false eyelashes and others for false eyelash accessories such as adhesive and cleansing material. To assist the person in attaching a pair of false eyelashes to her eyelids. a mirror I6 is secured to the inner side oftop 12.

Fixed to top 12 is a support structure 17 rigidly secured at its outer end to a false eyelash curling device 18. Device 18 incorporates an elongated tubular shaped guideway 19 having a pair of opposing margins 20 and 21 spaced apart to define a longitudinally extending window 22 or access opening.

Rotatably mounted within guideway 19 is a cylindrically shaped holding element 23 that is slightly longer than guideway 19. Guideway l9 and holding element 23, which are preferably constructed from plastic material, are joined together in a loose coupling in which guideway 19 serves as a bearing element for rotational movement of holding element 23.

Holding element 23 defines a pair of elongated retaining I slits 24 and 25 for retaining false eyelashes. Retaining slit 24 is shown unoccupied and retaining slit 25 is shown retaining a false eyelash 26 having the customary foundation strip 27 and artificial lashes 28. Retaining slit 25 is suitably dimensioned so that foundation strip 27 can be easily tucked into slit 25 and firmly wedged therein until intentionally withdrawn by the person.

The opposing ends of holding element 23 are attached to a pair of knobs 29 and 30 that are knurled so that a person may grasp either or both knobs with her fingers and rotate holding element 23. The knobs are cylindrically shaped and have diameters greater than that of holding element 23 to stop holding element 23 from slipping out of its loose coupling with guideway 19. Holding element 23 is preferably slightly longer than guideway 19 so there will be slight clearance between the inner faces of knobs 29 and 30 and adjacent ends of guideway 19. By this arrangement, the binding tendencies during rotation are avoided.

Referring to FIG. 2, a mounting bar 31 secured to a ledge section 32 of top 12 is firmly attached to the rearward end of support structure 17. The cylinder periphery defines shaping surfaces 33 and 34 on opposing sides of retaining slit 25. A shaping surface 35 formed on the inner wall of guideway 19 is complimentary contoured relative to shaping surfaces 33 and 34. Holding element 23 is spaced from the major portion of guideway 19 by an annular passageway 36 having an average spacing d.

FIG. 3 shows the position of false eyelash 26 between shaping surfaces 33 and 35 after holding element 23 has been rotated counterclockwise as indicated by the arrow. The eyelash 26 will have been prewetted so that, while remaining in this position for a sufficient period of time, it may be simultaneously dried and curled. Alternativelyholding element 23 could just as easily be rotated in the other direction.

FIG. 4 shows false eyelash 26 advanced or further rotated in a counterclockwise direction to a position where retaining slit 25 and foundation strip 27 register with window 22 so that a person can easily remove eyelash 26 from slit 25.

OPERATION Keeping the above construction in mind it can be understood how many of the previously described disadvantages of prior art false eyelash curling techniques are overcome or substantially eliminated by the present invention.

Initially, the person opens top 12 and rotates holding element 23 until retaining slits 24 and 25 are alined in a registering relationship with window 22. Then a pair of false eyelashes which may be contained in one of the compartments 15 are wetted and firmly tucked within retaining slits 24 and 25. One or both knobs are then grasped by the fingers and manipulated to rotate the eyelashes between complementary shaping surfaces 33 and 35 as shown in FIG. 3. Cover 12 is then closed to neatly fit false eyelash curling device 18 into a corresponding compartment 15.

When sufficient time has elapsed to satisfactorily dry and curl the false eyelashes, then the person opens box 11 and further rotates holding element 23 in a clockwise direction until the slits are moved into registering relationship with window 22. Then the eyelash foundation strips can be gripped to pull the eyelashes from the slits. The foundation strips can then be coated with the customary adhesives and, as the per son utilizes mirror 16, the eyelashes may be attached to the eyelids in the usual manner.

It should be noted that while it is particularly practical to mount false eyelash curling device 18 to box 11 by way of a support 17 the device 18 could be used independently in which case considerable space would be conserved.

From the foregoing it will be evident that the present invention has provided a false eyelash curling device in which all of the various advantages are fully realized.

Iclaim:

1. A false eyelash curling device comprising:

a. a guideway;

b. a first shaping surface connected to the guideway;

c. a holding element movably coupled to the guideway, the holding element defining a second shaping surface that is complimentary contoured relative to the first shaping surface; and

d. retaining means on said holding element for retaining a false eyelash between the first and second shaping surfaces, whereby, the guideway and holding element are arranged so that the holding element can be rotatably moved between a first position where the retaining means is exposed to be engaged with or disengaged from the eyelash and a second position where the eyelash lies in a curled condition between the shaping surfaces.

2. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the retaining means is a retaining slit formed by the holding element for retaining a foundation strip of the false eyelash.

3. The structure according to claim 2, wherein the first shaping surface is integrally formed with the guideway.

4. The structure according to claim 3, wherein;

the holding'element is cylindrically shaped; and

the guideway is substantially tubular shaped and defines a window which when alined in registering relationship with the retaining slit allows the slit to be exposed.

5. The structure according to claim 4, including a knob connected to one end of the holding element that may be finger operated to rotate the holding element.

6. The structure according to claim 5, wherein the holding element opposing ends project beyond the guideway opposing ends and a pair of knobs having greater diameters than that of the holding element are fixed to the holding element opposing ends to stop the holding element from slipping out of the guideway.

7. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the shaping surfaces are dimensioned so that when the holding element is moved to its second position they are spaced to exert sufficient pressure on the eyelash to curl but not crush it.

8. The structure according to claim 7, wherein the retaining means comprises plural retaining slits that are defined by the holding element for retaining plural false eyelashes that may be simultaneously curled.

9. The structure according to claim 1, including: a support for mounting the guideway; and, a box having an inner section for mounting the support, the box being closeable as the eyelash is being curled.

10. The structure according to claim 9, including:

box top and bottom parts hinged together, the bottom part having plural compartments for containing false eyelash accessories; and

wherein said inner section is a portion of the box top part. 11. A false eyelash curling device, comprising:

a. a support;

b. a tubular shaped guideway connected to the support, the guideway defining a window and a first shaping surface;

c. a cylindrically shaped holding element rotatably coupled to the guideway, the holding element defining a second shaping surface that is complimentary contoured relative to the first shaping surface and plural retaining slits for retaining foundation strips of plural false eyelashes; and

d. a knob connected to one end of the holding element that may be finger operated to rotate the holding element between a first position where the slits are exposed to enable eyelashes to be tucked into or withdrawn from the slits and a second position where the eyelashes lie in curled condition between the shaping surfaces.

12. The structure according to claim 11, including: a box having top and bottom parts hinged together, wherein the top parts mounts said support and the bottom part defines plural compartments for containing false eyelash accessories. 

